title: Cyclosporine A reduces cerebral vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage in dogs.
abstract: The double subarachnoid hemorrhage canine model was used to test the prophylactic value of immunosuppression in the prevention of cerebral vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage. Dogs treated with cyclosporine A following the regimen prescribed for organ transplant procedures in patients showed a significant reduction in the severity of angiographic constriction of cerebral arteries. While basilar artery diameter after double experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage in a series of untreated dogs (n = 34) averaged 65% of baseline diameter, arterial diameter in dogs treated prophylactically (n = 18) with 6 mg/kg/day cyclosporine A and adjunct low-dose steroid averaged 80% of baseline diameter, for a mean reduction in the severity of chronic arterial constriction of 42%. More important than the average effect, however, is the statistical observation that this mean improvement was obtained primarily by a dramatic reduction in the incidence of severe cerebral vasospasm, the situation most likely to account for morbidity and mortality after aneurysmal rupture.
authors.affiliation: Massachusetts General Hospital, Neurosurgical Service, Boston 02114.
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Peterson
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nishizawa
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Hackett
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bun
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Teramura
authors.forename: N T
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Zervas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001488:Basilar Artery / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D003524:Cyclosporins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004285:Dogs; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D002546:Ischemic Attack, Transient / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000503:physiopathology; D013345:Subarachnoid Hemorrhage / Q000150:complications*
chemical_list: D003524:Cyclosporins